


fight like hell

by wafflesofdoom



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-29
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-29 21:33:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6394690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/pseuds/wafflesofdoom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>jude kinkade hadn't had a lot of happiness and love in his life, so he wasn't about to let the messy politics of the devils take the people he loved most in the world away from him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	fight like hell

Jude avoided going home for a while after everything that had happened in the arena. His mind was whirling - Oscar losing the team, it wasn’t going to be good for anyone around him, and Lionel was right in his firing line. 

So was he, really, but Oscar didn’t have much over him these days - he was openly gay, there was no secrets to spill. Its not like Oscar could even manipulate him too much anymore, Jude was stronger than he had been as a teenager, stronger than he had been even last year, when Oscar could snap his fingers and he would do anything to try and please his cold-hearted father. 

The fact that Oscar didn’t have the same tight hold over Jude that he once did probably made things worse for Lionel, now that he thought about it. She was the only one he had the power to make suffer. 

But then there was Zero. 

Zero was his whole world. He was there every morning when Jude woke up, he made him laugh made him feel loved. For the first time in his life, Jude was _happy_ , and the thought of losing that, losing Zero.. 

Jude felt like he was being torn apart. Zero meant _everything_ to him, but he knew firsthand how bad Oscar could be, and leaving Lionel to battle him on her own, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

He always had a plan, and now he had no idea what he was going to do. 

Jude’s heart was hammering out of his chest as he unlocked his front door, not surprised to see lights on. Zero hardly ever spent time at his own apartment these days, preferring Jude’s. 

He’d expected Zero to be there, but he’d half hoped he wouldn’t be, just so he’d have time to think things out more. Jude’s mind was an absolute mess, and he had no idea what to say, or do, or how to fix everything that was going on. 

Tugging off his tie, Jude made his way to his bedroom, Zero sitting on his bed. He was still dressed in his shirt and jeans, obviously thinking hard himself. 

“Hey.” Jude greeted, tossing his suit jacket and bag aside. 

“I was wondering when you were going to come home.” Zero said, his voice small, and quiet. He was folded in on himself, sitting at the end of Jude’s - _their_ \- bed. 

“I needed time to think.” Jude admitted, sitting down next to him. Zero was tense, and Jude hated that the other man didn’t instantly relax at his presence, like he always did. 

Zero stayed quiet.

“Oscar always had a hold over me growing up.” Jude said, his gaze on the dresser in front of them. “I always wanted to impress him, prove that I was worthy of loving - so he always had what he needed to manipulate me. I was desperate to make him proud of me, so I tried to be like him. I went to Stanford to study business, like he did. I took that job as a sports agent because he got it for me - I thought that was my ticket to get him onside, be the best sports agent I could. I pushed for you to come to LA because I thought that getting one of the best players in the NBA to move to his team would make him proud to call himself my father."

He paused. “None of it worked, of course. It all just gave him more to use against me, made it easier to manipulate me.”

“I know all of that, Jude.” Zero said softly. They’d talked about it before, Jude admitting all he’d done to try and make his own father love him. 

“He doesn’t have that hold over me anymore.” Jude said. “But he has that hold over Lionel, and with me out of the picture, and Oscar losing the team, her life is going to be hell.”

“I get that.” 

“I love Lionel.” Jude said. “She’s been there for me a lost these past couple of months. But she’s not you.”

Zero looked at him, his expression willing Jude to go on.

“Being with you, for the first time in my life, I feel happy. I’m not trying to constantly prove myself to you, prove that I’m worthy of love - because you do love me, flaws and all.” Jude said. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I can’t lose that. You bought us a _house_ , Zero.”

Jude reached for Zero’s hands, intertwining their fingers loosely. They weren’t really a handholding couple, but the gesture was the best he could do as he tried to put his messy thoughts, and feelings into words.

“I want to be with you. But I have to help Lionel as well - I know what its like to get in too deep with Oscar, and if anything happened to her, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”

Zero squeezed his hand. “I get that, Jude. I just - I can’t lose you. Wherever I end up, I need to know you’ll be there too. I don’t care if the Devils trade me, as long as you and me are going to be okay.”

“I’d follow you anywhere.” Jude admitted. “We’re in this together, Zero.”

“Then we help Lionel together, and we deal with me getting traded together, and we’ll fix this.” Zero reassured, nudging Jude’s shoulder gently. 

“I love you.” Jude said, brushing his lips against Zero’s. He let go of Zero’s hand so he could wrap his arms around Zero’s waist, resting his head against the other man’s chest. “So much.”=

Zero pulled Jude close, pressing a kiss to his fluffy hair. “I love you too, Jude.”

Jude had no idea how any of this was going to go, what the future had in store for them, but as long as he had Zero to depend on, he figured he’d be alright. He was not going to let the politics of the Devils be the end of their relationship. 

Family fought for each other, and Zero and Lionel were his family. Jude was going to fight like _hell_ for them.

**Author's Note:**

> a little post finale fic, because i couldn't resist.


End file.
